Breath of Life
by Kat Harrcolys
Summary: Riza wakes up in a world that is not her own. Everyone seems so happy, so void of the pain of war...of death. Is this a dream world, because it seems all too real. Will Riza atempt to escape, or is the lure of happiness to much to resist? The FINAL CHAPTER is posted
1. The Sound of Silence

A/N: Hello, I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. I hope you enjoy this addition to the Royai fandom, and leave me reviews and such for this multichapter.

Breath of Life: The Sound of Silence

You wonder repeatedly where that incessant sound is coming from. It's irritating, continuously pulsing against your ears; you can feel it all over your body, and it's finally time for you to shout at the cause. You open your eyes to darkness, it's swarming you, and there's nowhere to run. After all, a step could mean falling off a cliff, into a pit, down into eternal oblivion. So you stand, shaking, as the thumbing continues, this time louder. You can feel it synchronize with your own heartbeat, and you wonder if the beats were ever different to begin with. The thumbing goes on and on, but it's slowing, becoming more sluggish by the second. Terror strikes your body, wondering what will happen when the deep, pulsating sounds ceased.

* * *

Riza Hawkeye woke with a start, her hair in a tangled mess around her face, sticking to her sopping wet cheeks.

A soft knock echoed in the office.

No, this wasn't right at all. Suddenly a mix of dread and horror stuck her body, sending a shiver up her spine, adding to her hands which were already trembling. She might have been confused by a strange nightmare this morning, but this-this she knew for a fact. She knew that knock, and who it belonged to. She closed her eyes. She didn't care about cowardice, or fear…she wouldn't, couldn't face this.

The door flew open to the office and a man strolled in, adorned in his customary military blues. A grin stretched wide across his face, as he slapped a new photo on The Raven haired alchemist's desk. A stifled gasp overtook her body when she heard the unmistakable voice, babbling on about his daughter, as if he wasn't _dead._

Golden-Brown eyes shook in their sockets, and agile fingers reached for the cold metal in the span of a heartbeat. The click of the safety sent the room into panic, as Hughes flailed his arms and Mustang grabbed for his pen and paper.

"I'm getting back to my paperwork now."A flustered voice shouted. Her brow furrowed. Why wasn't he afraid. It appeared as though he was _more_ afraid of _her, _than the walking corpse. No matter. Her eyes lost their luster, just as she twitched her finger to pull the trigger.

_You could save him. Think of the opportunity. He's alive…right in front of you. Will you really kill him?_

She couldn't kill him. Maybe this was a second chance…to do things right, to do her job. She could prevent his death, prevent it all. Tensed muscles relaxed and she settled back in her chair. Hughes laughed loudly and threw more pictures of his darling daughter into the air, twirling around as the photos fell.

"You'll be coming for her birthday party, right. Remember she wants a wooden dollhouse, but you know, _Uncle Roy_, she'll like anything you get her-"

Riza began to leave their conversation, instead engulfed in her own personal struggle. How did she get here? It felt so real…too real to be a dream. Could she have been dreaming before…about the Homunculus…about everything? She shook her head of such preposterous thoughts. No, she couldn't think of this world, where the dead were living, as the real one. She ran her fingers through her hair to discover it was longer than she remembered. Looking around the office, she noticed that the office looked different as well. Maybe it was just her nerves. Soon Hughes pranced from the room, throwing more invitations into the sky. Soon Hughes bombarded the strapping Armstrong, just as he was ripping off his shirt. Before she knew what was going on, the door closed and locked. Looking up from the doorknob she saw two obsidian eyes fixed with hers.

"What's going on?" His voice was calm and collected, void of the playfulness it had previously held only a few moments ago when he was speaking with his deceased friend. She had to tell him.

"Hughes- I" Suddenly her eyes snapped shut tightly, as an intense migraine took her head and body with it. Such intense pain.

_"Daddy."_

She grabbed her head in her hands, trying to force the pain away

_"What are you doing to Daddy?" The young girl cried, her voice rattled by sobs "Daddy still has work to do!" _

She shook her head from the thoughts, forcing the pain from her head. She couldn't tell him. Even if this was a dream, did she really want to wake up?

"Just a headache, sir. Lack of sleep" She said sternly. He chuckled a bit, causing her brow to furrow in confusion.

"Sir? You haven't called me that since before Elizabeth and Jean were born. Takes me back."

"That took me back, Riza. You haven't pulled a gun on me since before Elizabeth and Jean were born."

It appeared as though this was going to be a lot more difficult than she had initially thought. Maybe it would be easier once she found out who Elizabeth and Jean were. She could do this. She had to. She hadn't seen him happy since before Hughes died, and she refused to take it from him.


	2. Gasp

A/N: Wow, thanks for all of the reviews, and although I'm well aware ya'll already know this, I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. Please continue to read, review my story and forgive my numerous mistakes. Te hee

Breath of Life Chapter Two: Gasp

"_Sir? You haven't called me that since before Elizabeth and Jean were born. Takes me back."_

_It appeared as though this was going to be a lot more difficult than she had initially thought._

* * *

_"Stay with me Riza!" A voice she recognized as her commanding officer's shouted. "Please, God…No!" She felt as if she was being grabbed, swallowed into a deep abyss with no hope of escape…but there was his voice, keeping her from sinking into the sickeningly thick tar of nothingness. How she feared the darkness that was slowly overcoming her body, oozing over her skin and pulling her deeper. _

_"Roy." She spoke to no one, her voice laced with fear. He continued to call out to her. "I'm here!" She responded, as the tar took her deeper and deeper. Did it ever end? Her long, agile fingers reached out into nothingness in an attempt to grab his, to let him know that she was there. He continued to call her, screamed for her. She could hear his lungs tire with each breath he took. She was sure his throat must be burning…if only she could just tell him she was here…she wasn't going anywhere._

_Finally…he seemed to notice her. She could feel his touch on her skin, and yet, she was unable to open her eyes. Why couldn't she open her eyes? Terror overtook her body and she attempted to breath in, to ease her pain, to find her lungs beginning to fill with the viscous liquid. Sputtering…coughing, it did no good as she struggled to breath, struggled to get the terrible tasting liquid from her body. He started screaming again "Please…stay with me!" and she wanted to ease his pain…but how could she? She couldn't even take a breath. The liquid continued to suffocate her until…_

* * *

Riza Hawkeye woke up with a sputtering gasp, her hand over her chest in an attempt to fill her deprived lungs with air. She was soaked in sweat, and her heart was beating erratically. Giving the room a quick glance around she realized that she didn't have the slightest idea where she was. In fact, she had no clue how she even got to this…this place. The only thing she did know is that she had to leave…fast. A soft mumbling from the covers woke her from her thoughts of escaping.

"Please…Riza…don't leave me." She leaned closer to the heap of pillows and blankets, slowly lifting the heavy comforter on top to reveal a mop of messy raven locks.

"R-Roy?" She said louder that she anticipated, causing the man to shuffle in his slumber. Yes, she defiantly had to go. She couldn't be seen with him…couldn't risk his rise to the top. The last time she had been with him was directly before the Promised Day, and even that…

She stopped in her tracks, suddenly remembering the conversation she had before…Maes…she saw Maes. 'No' she shook her head. It had to be a dream- her mind's cruel way of reminding her of her failures. For a dream, it all seemed very vivid…too real. Still, she couldn't quite remember how she had gotten in Roy Mustang's bed. She hadn't gotten drunk since her days in Ishval and this all seemed-

She jumped, and grabbed the hand that attempted to caress her arm, forcing the man to cry out and beg for mercy. Relaxing her grip when she realized the pleads were from The Flame Alchemist himself, her eyes were suddenly blinded when he flicked on the bedside table lamp. His eyes met with hers, as if to ask 'What's going on with you' and the flash in hers as she slowly turned away gave him the answer 'I don't know.'

"Are you having that same nightmare again, Ri?" He asked, his brow furrowed in worry.

"How did I get here?" She asked directly, avoiding his previous discussion.

"You fainted in the office earlier, so I took you home." He said, placing his hand over hers.

"Home?" Her brow arched when she looked around the unfamiliar place. Memories suddenly started to fill her mind. This room had so many memories for her…for them. She threw them out of her head in an instant, shaking her locks furiously. These were _not_ her memories. Noticing her current alarm he sat up from his propped position and wrapped his strong arms around her. She pushed away from him "Thi-this is not my home, Sir."

_"It could be, if you only believe"_

Before she knew it she had reached the end of the bed and crashed to the hard oak floors.

He shouted as his arms and legs furiously kicked at the bed's many comforters to get to the other side as quickly as possible. On the other side she sat where she fell, rubbing her head. He moved with great hast to pull her up from the cold floor, and gave her a quick look over, before she shook from his touch. Why was Roy acting so strange, like she couldn't take care of herself?

"I can take care of myself, Sir. Really I-"

"Stop it already!" He shouted his hands by his sides, balled in fists. "You-you're impossible!" He stomped away from her, to the corner of the room where he ran his hand through his hair. "You-You could have hurt the baby?" He turned to her and his eyes glistened with tears he refused to let fall. He was so worried, his forehead matching the frown that was on his face.

_"Believe " The voice spoke again_

"Baby?" The blonde sharpshooter questioned, suddenly feeling lightheaded. What was going on with her life, and why couldn't she remember living it? Her knees suddenly became wobbly, and she reached for bed, grasping the sheets tightly. No…she wasn't ready for children. This could end his career. How had all of this happened? Was it from the night before the Promised Day? They had been so careless, so reckless and now this. The Promised Day? The was just a dream. She imagined he would ship her off to the hospital where they kept the crazy soldiers soon enough. Not being able to remember her own life…it was-insane. He was by her side in an instant, wrapping around her small form. She didn't resist this time, taking in the scent of his shirt and suddenly being overwhelmed with memories that she assumed were her own. A gut wrenching sob escaped her throat before she silenced it. Who was she?

Before she knew what was going on her consciousness began to fade. Her dreams were thoughtless, the only thing she could hear was _Believe._

* * *

The Sun's rays broke through the curtains of their home, and Riza Hawkeye woke slowly, her eyes scrunching before opening. Thoughts began to fill her mind and she remembered last night…remembered the child that was growing inside her. How could she have possibly thought that some dream, one about homunculus and The Promised Day was real? She had to say, it seemed quite real, but she was glad it wasn't. Maes…he was alive. The image of his daughter crying at his funeral was becoming a distant thought, conjured up by the cruel intentions of her mind. She lifted herself from the bed and cautiously made her way down the steps and into the kitchen, where Roy stood with their breakfast.

"You've never been good at cooking, Roy." She said quizzically, earning a scoff from his direction.

"Well, I'll have _you_ know that Elizabeth finds my burnt pancakes very tasty."

"Elizabeth is four years old, and I'm sure she'll tell you anything is tasty when you bribe her with candy." The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could catch herself, suddenly aware of this Elizabeth person. Her daughter…her and Roy's daughter Elizabeth was four years old. Her favorite food was spaghetti, even though she tumbled over the syllables, and she was allergic to pears. Riza's face scrunched, suddenly aware of the birth. If her memories were really going to all come back like this it was going to be a long day. How could she have believed in this silly world with Homunculous. She really was glad it wasn't real. It held too much pain, too much hurt...even if it was only a dream. The site of Roy Mustang smiling back at her was too much to take in, and she felt her body swim with warmth. Suddenly a tiny girl with messy raven locks made her way down the stairs

'Mommy.' She called, as Riza's twitched from the word. The young child repeated the call a few more times before realization hit and Riza realized she was being beckoned by the voice she knew too well. "Jeannie has a stinky diapy."

"Elizabeth, I told you before not to call your brother 'Jeannie.'" He said, wagging his finger at her. Riza lifted the toddler as Roy made his way off to get 'Jeannie' and free him from the constraints of his dirtiness, as his daughter wagged her finger at him.

"He looks like a 'Jeannie!' She argued at her father as he climbed the steps. Jean is a stupid name." Riza's eyes widened at this, as if someone had just slapped her in the face with news she hadn't heard before. Jean…Jean Havoc. How had she forgotten about Havoc? Why did their son have his first name and why couldn't she locate any memories of him. Why didn't he exist in her conscious. Suddenly things started to fill her mind, were these real or were they from the dream world where the one they knew as Jean was struggling to walk once again? She tightened the grip around her daughter and practically cantered up the steps, until she reached the room with a disgusting stench emitting from it. She placed her daughter on the carpet floors of this room and made her way over to the table where her 'son' was being changed. She had to know. He looked at her, his face twisted in mock disgust as he powdered the baby.

"How could something so dis-"

"Why is our son named after Havoc?" She questioned, her eyes suddenly flashing to her husband. He sighed, not wanting to bring this discussion up while his daughter was around. Why did she even ask…she already knew the answer. It wouldn't change anything.

"Can we talk about this later?" He pleaded.

"We can talk about it now." Her eyes were steady on him, as Elizabeth sensed the tone in her mother's voice and moved to tug on her leg.

"Elizabeth, cover your ears." He instructed. Her small hands soon made their way over her hearing devices.

"Riza…Havoc has been dead for 3 years." His jaw was clenched, as he placed the baby in the crib. Her face twisted into a look of disbelief mixed with agony. He couldn't be dead. She just saw the man on crutches for Christ's sake. "We tried everything…you know we did, but-you had to chose." He sighed deeply and turned to face her. "You can't keep blaming yourself for his death. No one blames you. People die... and people move on." He shrugged his shoulders "Better him than you anyway." He mumbled almost inaudible

It became all too much. Who was she? This dreams were constantly pervading her memory, making her think she was somewhere…someone who she was not. She searched her memory of Jean's death, begging her mind to create the image, to make her seem less insane. Nothing. Completely blank. Constant images of him smoking, leaning back in his chair, and even crying in his wheelchair, were all that she could see. What was real? One thing was for sure, this was not her Roy. He would never tell her to 'move on.' 'People die' it sounded so disgusting in her head, and his remark about Jean dying. No...he would never. This was not the one she knew...not the one she shared the secrets to Flame Alchemy with. She fled the room, making her way to the stairs. Where was she running? What was real? He followed her, grabbing her arm before she made her way down the stairs.

"Please." He begged, fear showing in his eyes. What was going on with her? Why wouldn't she just let him love her?

"This…This Isn't Real!" She shouted, tears burning in her eyes.

_You're giving up your only chance at happiness. _

What was the voice?

"It is!" He yelled, trying to convince her. "Those dreams about another world…they aren't real…this is real! We are real!" How did he know about the dreams? No this didn't make sense. She tried to think of Elizabeth again but the image became warped, like someone ran their hand down an oil painting. The house began to melt around them.

_"I could bring this World back to you_ " The suspicious voice spoke again, trying to pick at the fright it could see in her honey eyes. "I want my world, my Roy!" She screamed, apparently to no one, as the voice appeared to have to owner. "_If that's what you desire."_

Suddenly Riza's hand flew to her mouth, trying to suppress an unexpected coughing fit. She pulled her hand away from her face to discover it was covered in blood. Her eyes widened in horror, as he himself began to smear…ruined.

"You ruined everything!" He screamed, tears forcing their way down his face, staining his cheeks, as his image blurred. She ran down the stairs, only to find her legs stuck in the once solid wood, now liquefied. The stairs, like magma began to run over her whole body. Her arms flailed as she screamed for help, only to hear his voice. Not the voice of the Roy in this world, but the one she knew.

_"Riza…Please!"_

He needed her back there. How could she bare to live without him...to live with this _imposter._ She eyed the previous 'dream' world now destroyed and let the tar-like substance overtake her. How could she have forgotten her friends...Roy. Wherever she was going…at least she knew he would be there.

* * *

A/N: Cliffie! Did you like this chapter? I tried to depict exactly what I wanted, so please leave me a review and tell me how I did! Next chapter will be the end!


	3. Inhalation

A/N: Woot Woot! Here's the last chapter of this story, I hope you enjoyed it! As always, I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. There are different perspectives in this chapter…hope it doesn't come out as confusing!

Breath Of Life Chapter Three: Inhalation

FLASHBACK(from Chapter 2)

Suddenly Riza's hand flew to her mouth, trying to suppress an unexpected coughing fit. She pulled her hand away from her face to discover it was covered in blood. Her eyes widened in horror, as he himself began to smear…ruined.

"You ruined everything!" He screamed, tears forcing their way down his face, staining his cheeks, as his image blurred. She ran down the stairs, only to find her legs stuck in the once solid wood, now liquefied. The stairs, like magma began to run over her whole body. Her arms flailed as she screamed for help, only to hear his voice. Not the voice of the Roy in this world, but the one she knew.

_"Riza…Please!"_

_He needed her back there. How could she bare to live without him. She eyed the previous 'dream' world now destroyed and let the tar-like substance overtake her. Wherever she was going…at least she knew he would be there._

* * *

"Stay with me Riza!"The battered General spoke, his voice desperate. He could hear Breda and Havoc off in the distance barking orders to the emergency men. It didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was _her. _He glanced up at Fuery, who was holding her head as Roy lowered his head once again to check her chest. She wasn't breathing. Why wasn't she breathing? He yelled for help as he continued to hold the wound under her breast. He begged it to stop bleeding. Her satin dress was ruined…she was ruined and it was all his fault. If only he had seen the shooter, if only he could rewind time and make everything better.

He just wanted her to be happy. Why couldn't he give her happiness? Why had she chosen to follow him to her death? He wished that everything was different, that she had never suffered, that he could love her like he should. If only he could change everything, give her the family she wanted, the life she wanted. He sobbed as he continued to apply pressure to her seeping wound. Finally, the medical staff arrived, a rather robust man pulling from his pack a large needle, which he abruptly brought down on her thigh after ripping her already tattered dress. He had seen it in battle done before…it seemed to be the new miracle worker, bringing people back from death. He jumped back when she sputtered, convulsing as her eyes snapped open.

"R-oy…it's you" She spoke cautiously, a small smile appearing on her face. He almost smiled before his face twisted into sorrow as blood splattered on his face from her abrupt coughing fit. Her breathing became labored then, as she struggled to stay alive. She was lifted and carried away quickly into a vehicle, his warm hand entwined with her cold one. His eyes pleaded with her, begged her to stay.

His ebony eyes focused on her honey orbs. She wanted to say how much she loved him as the vehicle swerved through traffic, but she couldn't, her time was ending. She knew he could see it in her eyes. He didn't need to profess his love to her, as others did in these situations…she knew, as did he.

She was dying…She was going to die, that much she was sure of. She closed her eyes. Roy would be happy to know that she didn't feel anything, really, just happiness that she was back in her real life, with the real Roy.

* * *

_I'm only going to tell you one last time…You can still live there, with your husband and children, just as you dreamed…_

She closed her eyes, suddenly seeing a light ahead of her. She was greeted by a dark figure with a piercing voice, she recognized as the one speaking to her in the fantasy world. In front of it was a large gate. Everything made sense now, the gate, the light. This was death. She didn't want to go back there, where she wasn't herself, where Roy was someone she didn't know. It was the warped world of her dreams, and she couldn't go back there.

"_You're going to die here" _

"_I belong here." _She responded, a small smile gracing her lips. She couldn't marry like she had planned when she was a child. This wasn't the life she had dreamed for herself, but it was her life. A quite brutal end, if she'd say so herself, but an end nonetheless. Everyone couldn't die in their sleep peacefully. At least he was safe, and she was with him.

"_Riza…Please!" _He screamed, his voice booming over the vast area like an intercom, just as the gate was creaking to an open. She tried to cover her ears, but the voice pervaded through, demanding to be heard.

She felt her own heartbeat begin to slow. Admittedly, it was an odd sensation, to literally feel as one's life ended. At least it wasn't painful, as she had heard it was. Suddenly, a pang hit her, square in her chest. She stumbled back from the hit, which knocked the wind out of her-for lack of a better word choice.

"_Don't leave me!" _

Tears formed in her eyes, as her life began to flash, her life with _him._ How she would miss his smell, his smile, _him._ She wondered if she would be able to think of him where she was going. She liked to think so.

Another pang, this one propelling her from the door.

"_It seems as though he refuses to let you go." _The shrill voice spoke, with a smile that made her nervous.

Her eyes widened, and her hand flew to her chest, as the one she knew as 'God' disappeared.

* * *

"She's gone." The medic spoke, pulling Roy away from her, as he continued to try compressions. She couldn't just die, not her. Why did she always sacrifice herself for him? He shoved the young medic, causing the man colliding with the door and falling to the small floor of the vehicle. The raven-haired General pounded on his subordinate-his lover's chest, commanding her to stay with him, making it an order. His hands turned to fists, relentlessly colliding with her chest. He breathed into her lungs once more, trying to force them into cooperation.

His lips were stained Crimson from her blood, and he wasn't sure if the tears on his Queen were hers or his own. It didn't matter. He brought his body away from hers again, bringing his hands to her chest for compressions. Leaning down, he listened…waited…still nothing. She couldn't leave him, not like this, not ever. They were at the hospital!He violently pounded at her chest, demanding her to come back to him. There were Doctors trained to help her, she couldn't just die. They had to save her! She looked so pale, like a corpse.

He breathed into her lungs one last time before he stumbled back as her lungs suddenly filled with a gasping air.

The medic lurched from his seated position, to grab the doors and forced them open, grabbing yelling for help immediately. Doctor's emerged and suddenly she was gone from his grasp off to an operating room. He sunk into a chair and ran his bloodied hands through his hair. She was alive. They just had to keep her alive.

* * *

She had been awake the whole surgery...all 5 hours of it. They said it was risky to put her asleep...like she wanted to ever sleep again. The whole time awake, lucid, thinking of him, of the events that led her here. Her vision was hazzy, to say the least but that was to be expected. She couldnt feel the pain, or even really hear what the Doctor's were saying as they passed the instruments around and barked orders over her. It didn't matter. He had saved her. He brought her back from death to him. She couldn't die now, she couldn't leave him behind after seeing that look in his eyes when he thought she was gone. She had saved him from a bullet, and he had brought her back from death. She loved him...longed to be with him, even if it was in a distant future that they may never see. She thought of what she would say to him...tried to think of perfect words to express her gratitude-of the magnitude of what happened when she was unconcious before. Nothing seemed to fit right-it never did for the pair.

She was wheeled into this room and placed on a pristine bed with clean white sheets to find him in the chair directly beside the bed, asleep, waiting for her.

"Roy." A soft voice spoke, as agile fingers moved to lock his fingers in hers. His eyes opened, to see her, awake and alive, staring down at him.

"Sorry." He quickly apologized. Her eyes softened and she squeezed his hand.

"You wouldn't let me go…" He wouldn't let the doors open and take her to the unknown. She was glad

"I-I couldn't…I won't ever let you go."

"I'm happy." She gave him a shy smile. She didn't know why she said it, suddenly like she did, but it seemed right. It fit. She was happy to be here with him, breathing...living. He returned her smile, one she hadn't seen in years.

He brought his hand to her cheek, cupping it softly, as she leaned into his touch. He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

She had never felt so alive.


End file.
